Stories for 2010
Lula da Silva and Vazquez candidates for Unasur secretary general chair
Brazil’s Lula da Silva and former Uruguayan president Tabare Vazquez are the most probable candidates for the Union of South American Nations, Unasur, secretary general chair, according to Ecuadorean president Rafael Correa. Ecuador currently holds the rotating presidency of Unasur.
Prince William royal wedding gift: £ 620 million to the UK economy
UK market research company Verdict has forecast the engagement of Prince William and Kate Middleton and their subsequent Royal Wedding next year could give a £620m (billion US dollars) boost to the economy.
EU, ECB, IMF to visit Ireland in “short focused consultation”
A meeting of Euro zone ministers in Brussels ended with a promise to work towards further help for Ireland. The EU monetary affairs commissioner, Olli Rehn, said the 27-country bloc would “intensify” work on a support programme for Ireland - should Dublin request one.
Warnings about impact of social security cuts to reduce public spending
International Labor Organization (ILO) is warning countries against social security cuts to reduce public spending which could slow down or delay recovery. The ILO says social security encourages stability, but only about a fifth of the world has access.
China imposes restrictions to foreigners in the real estate market
China's Ministry of Housing and Urban Rural Development announced this week that purchases of housing by overseas organizations and individuals in the country would be capped or restricted, a move widely seen as combating speculative money from overseas that might flow into the property market.
Mercosur/EU ready market access proposals for next round of trade talks
Mercosur and European Union delegates are scheduled to meet at the end of the month or early December in Brasilia for a new round of talks leading to a wide ranging trade agreement which both sides have agreed should be ready to conclude negotiations in the first half of 2011.
Latinamerica/Europe forum on business promotion in the region
Leading Latinamerican corporations and European investors will be participating in Madrid at the XII Latibex three-day forum organized by Spain’s securities markets.
Geopark drills and tests new oil well in Chile’s Magallanes region
Oil and gas explorer Geopark Holdings Ltd (GPK.L) announced on Tuesday it successfully drilled and tested a new well in the Magallanes Region, extreme south of Chile where it has been operating for several years.
Chile’s copper dependency has taken a turn for the worse: 55% of all exports
Chile’s long-term effort to wean itself away from copper dependency appears to have taken a turn for the worse: economist Hernan Frigolett reported that the booming demand for copper has led to extremely high prices (over US$4 per pound), meaning that copper accounted for 55% of the nation’s exports in the second quarter of 2010.
A “regulatory framework”, Lula da Silva’s farewell present for Brazilian media
Brazil is drafting a media bill that is geared to stimulate the participation of common citizens in the communications industry and preventing market rules from governing such a sensitive area, announced Social Communications minister Franklin Martins.
